Inspecting glass containers having rounded top finishes



June 27, 1967 B. SORBIE 3,327,849

INSPECTING GLASS CONTAINERS HAVING ROUNDED TOP FINISHES Filed Sept. 13,1965 INVENTOR. THOMAS B. SORBI E United States Patent 3,327,849INSPECTING GLASS CONTAINERS HAVING ROUNDED TOP FINISHES Thomas R.Sorbie, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Owens- Illinois, Inc., a corporationof Ohio Filed Sept. 13, 1965, Ser. No. 486,616 Claims. (Cl. 209-1115)This invention relates to inspecting glass containers having rounded topfinishes for defects such as vertical checks.

One of the problems encountered in the inspecting of glass containershaving rounded top finishes is that when a conventional vertical checkinspecting apparatus is used wherein a light beam is directedhorizontally at an acute angle to a radial plane against the finish ofthe container, the light is redirected downwardly and inwardly of thewall of the container so that the defects are not detected. Moreover,the light which is directed upwardly through the wall of the containerfrom optical inspection of the bottom of the container for defects tendsto interfere with vertical check inspection.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a method andapparatus for detecting vertical defects in the rounded top finish ofglass containers; which method and apparatus is not adversely affectedby the optical inspection of the bottom of the container for defects;and which operates efliciently and rapidly.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a part sectional elevational view of an apparatus embodyingthe invention.

FIG. 2 is a partly diagrammatic view of a portion of the apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic plan view showing the path of the light beamthrough the container.

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic elevational view showing the path of the lightbeam through the container.

Referring to FIG. 1, in accordance with the invention, the container Cwhich is to be inspected is brought into inspecting position by a starwheel 10 having pockets 11 on the periphery thereof. At the inspectionstation, the container C is delivered to a pad 12 that is rotated. Aplurality of rollers 13 mounted on radially extending shafts 14 on ahead 15 engage the top finish of the container and hold the container Cin steady position against wobbling while it is rotated by the pad. Thehead 15 is mounted on a spring leaded arm 16.

The pad 12 is adapted to be elevated to lift the container against therollers 13 and position a mirror 17 within the open mouth of thecontainer. The mirror 17 forms a part of an inspection assembly 18 whichincludes an incandescent light bulb 19 and lenses 20 that collect andfocus a beam of radiation to which the container is transparent from thelight bulb 19 against the finish of the container.

As shown diagrammatically in FIGS. 3 and 4, the beam is directed againstthe finish of the container at an acute angle B preferably 45 degrees toa radial plane. The beam is focused in a generally vertical spot that isdirected as shown in FIG. 4 at an acute angle A to a horizontal planesuch that a portion of the beam intersects the top finish and theremainder of the beam passes over the top of the finish. The angle A isselected such that the light is refracted by the rounded top finish andnormally passes through the top finish in a substantially horizontalplane. This angle may vary with the configuration of the top finish butit has been found than an angle of approximately 32 degrees producessatisfactory results with many of the presently available top finishes.

When a defect is present, the light beam which is directed through thetop finish is reflected and refracted out of the top finish as shown inFIG. 3. A prism 21 reflects the redirected portion of the light beamupwardly and lenses 22 focus the redirected portion of the light beamagainst a light sensitive cell 23 such as a solar cell. A mask 24 limitsthe vision of the light sensitive cell 23 to the area of the top finishwhich is being inspected. If the light sensitive cell 23 is energized, areject mechanism is operated to reject the container at a subsequentstation.

As further shown in FIG. 1, while the top finish of the container isbeing inspected, the bottom is also being inspected by directing aplurality of light beams from sources 25, 26 at acute angles to radialplanes and to the horizontal. If a defect is present in the bottom, itis redirected by the defect against a plurailty of light sensitive cells27 mounted within a block 28. If a signal is produced by energization ofthe cells 27, the reject mechanism is actuated to reject the containerat a subsequent station.

I claim:

1. The method of inspecting glass containers having rounded top finishesfor vertical checks and bottom defects which comprises collecting andfocusing a beam of radiant energy to which the container is transparentand directing said beam across the rounded top finish of the containerin a direction generally upwardly and at an acute angle to a radialplane and at an acute angle to a horizontal plane such that a portion ofthe light beam intersects the top finish and the remainder of the lightbeam passes by the top finish,

the angle which said beam forms with a horizontal plane being such thatthe light is refracted by the rounded top finish and passes through thetop finish in a substantially horizontal plane,

causing a vertical check in the rounded top finish to reflect a portionof the light and cause it to be refracted out of the top finish,

and rejecting a container when a portion of the beam is reflected by avertical check,

substantially simultaneously directing a plurality of light beamsupwardly against the base of the container at an acute angle to radialplanes and at an acute angle to a horizontal plane,

causing a defect in the bottom of the container to redirect a portion ofthe light beams out of the normal path,

and rejecting the container when a portion of said plurality of lightbeams is redirected by a defect in the base of the container.

2. The method of inspecting glass containers having rounded top finishesfor vertical checks which comprises collecting and focusing a beam ofradiant energy to which the container is transparent and directing saidbeam across the rounded top finish of the container in a directiongenerally upwardly and at an acute angle to a radial plane and at anacute angle to a horizontal plane such that a portion of the light beamintersects the top finish and the remainder of the light beam passes bythe top finish,

the angle which said beam forms with a horizontal plane being such thatthe light is refracted by the rounded top finish and passes through thetop finish in a substantially horizontal plane,

causing a vertical check in the rounded top finish to reflect a portionof the light and cause it to be refracted out of the top finish,

and rejecting a container when a portion of the beam is reflected by avertical check.

3. The method of inspecting glass containers having rounded top finishesfor vertical checks which comprises collecting and focusing a beam ofradiant energy to which the container is transparent and directing saidbeam across the rounded top finish of the container in a directiongenerally upwardly and at an acute angle to a radial plane and at anacute angle to a horizontal plane at right angles to a radial plane suchthat a portion of the light beam'intersects the top finish and theremainder of the light beam passes by the top finish.

the angle which said beam forms with a horizontal plane being about 32degrees such that the light is refracted by the rounded top finish andpasses through the top finish in a substantially horizontal plane.

causing a vertical check in the rounded top finish to reflect a portionof the light and cause it to be refracted out of the top finish,

and rejecting a container when .a portion of the beam is reflected by avertical check.

4. An apparatus for inspecting glass containers having rounded topfinishes for vertical checks and bottom defects which comprises meansfor collecting and focusing a beam of radiant energy to which thecontainer is transparent and directing said beam across the rounded topfinish of the container in a direction generally upwardly and at anacute angle to a radial plane and at an acute angle to a horizontalplane such that a portion of the light beam intersects the top finishand the remainder of the light beam passes by the top finish,

the angle which said beam forms with a horizontal plane being such thatthe light is refracted by the rounded top finish and passes through thetop finish in a substantially horizontal plane,

light sensitive means having its line of vision positioned such thatwhen a portion of light is reflected and refracted by a vertical checkin the top finish, it is directed to said light sensitive means,

means for directing a plurality of light beams upwardly against the baseof the container at an acute angle to radial planes and at an acuteangle to a horizontal plane,

light sensitive means having a line of vision positioned such that whena portion of said plurality of light beams is redirected out of thenormal path, said light sensitive means is energized,

and means for rejecting the container when either of said lightsensitive means is energized.

5. The combination set forth in claim 4 including means for collectingand redirecting said light beam toward said first-mentioned lightsensitive means.

6. The combination set forth in claim 5 including a mask interposedbetween said first light sensitive means and said container.

7. An apparatus for inspecting glass containers having rounded topfinishes for vertical checks and bottom defects whichlcomprises meansfor collecting and focusing a beam of radiant energy to which thecontainer is transparent and directing said beam across the rounded topfinish of the container in a direction generally upwardly and at anacute angle to a radial plane and at an acute angle to a horizontalplane such that a portion of the light beam intersects the top finishand the remainder of the light beam passes by the top finish,

the angle which said beam forms with a horizontal plane being such thatthe light is refracted by the rounded top finish and passes through thetop finish in a substantially horizontal plane,

light sensitive means having its line of vision positioned such thatwhen a portion of light is reflected and refracted by a vertical checkin the top finish, it is di- 'rected to said light sensitive means,

and means for rejecting said container in response to the energizationof said light sensitive means.

8. The combination set 'forth in claim 7 including means for collectingand redirecting said light beam toward said light sensitive means.

9. The combination set forth in claim 8 including a mask interposedbetween said light sensitive means and said container.

19. An apparatus for inspecting glass containers having rounded topfinishes 'for vertical checks and bottom defects which comprises meansfor collecting and focusing a beam of radiant energy to which thecontainer is transparent and directing said beam across the rounded topfinish of the container in a direction generally upwardly and at anacute angle to a radial plane and at an acute angle to a horizontalplane such that a portion of the light beam intersects the top finishand the remainder of the light beam passes by the top finish,

the angle which said beam forms with a horizontal plane beingapproximately 32 degrees such that the light is refracted by the roundedtop finish and passes through the top finish in a substantiallyhorizontal plane,

light sensitive means having its line of vision positioned such thatwhen a portion of light is reflected and refracted 'by a vertical checkin the top finish, it is directed to said light sensitive means,

and means for rejecting said container in response to the energizationof said light sensitive means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1963 Mathias et al. Q2'09111.7

8/1966 Mathias 209-4117 2/1967 Conrad 209111.7 X

1. THE METHOD OF INSPECTING GLASS CONTAINERS HAVING ROUNDED TOP FINISHESFOR VERTICAL CHECKS AND BOTTOM DEFECTS WHICH COMPRISES COLLECTING ANDFOCUSING A BEAM OF RADIANT ENERGY TO WHICH THE CONTAINER IS TRANSPARENTAND DIRECTING SAID BEAM ACROSS THE ROUNDED TOP FINISH OF THE CONTAINERIN A DIRECTION GENERALLY UPWARDLY AND AT AN ACUTE ANGLE TO A RADIALPLANE AND AT AN ACUTE ANGLE TO A HORIZONTAL PLANE SUCH THAT A PORTION OFTHE LIGHT BEAM INTERSECTS THE TOP FINISH AND THE REMAINDER OF THE LIGHTBEAM PASSES BY THE TOP FINISH, THE ANGLE WHICH SAID BEAM FORMS WITH AHORIZONTAL PLANE BEING SUCH THAT THE LIGHT IS REFRACTED BY THE ROUNDEDTOP FINISH AND PASSES THROUGH THE TOP FINISH IN A SUBSTANTIALLYHORIZONTAL PLANE, CAUSING A VERTICAL CHECK IN THE ROUNDED TOP FINISH TOREFLECT A PORTION OF THE LIGHT AND CAUSE IT TO BE REFRACTED OUT OF THETOP FINISH,